


Dear Counselor Troi

by lori (zakhad), zakhad



Series: Standalone Stories [1]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Advice, Multi, tongue in cheek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2020-05-20 14:40:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 10,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19378765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zakhad/pseuds/lori, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zakhad/pseuds/zakhad
Summary: Deanna Troi is sick of Starfleet. She now writes an advice column in the Federation Weekly News. People from all over the galaxy can communicate with her through a micro-wormhole under a contract with the Department of Temporal Investigations, because if there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that we all need good mental health....





	1. Stalemate

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapter will be added when someone comments with a character and a problem for the counselor to solve.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I have a dilemma. There is a woman that I consider a very dear friend, and I have thought at times about telling her that I wish we could be more than friends. We have worked together for decades, and I hesitate to speak my mind. I do not want to ruin our friendship. Yet I can't stop thinking about it. She was my best friend's wife, but he has been dead for years. Each time I start to consider being open with her about my feelings, I think about him and hesitate. At one point I did say something but she backed off and we never spoke of it again. Now we spend time together and talk about all kinds of things, yet it's as though it never happened. So I am still hesitating and every so often I think she might be receptive, but I remember how she reacted and stop before I start._

_How do I break this stalemate?_

 

 

* * *

 

Dear Stale,

I can tell that you value your relationship with her very much.

Sometimes we fall in love with a fantasy of something that might happen. You may be thinking at times very happy thoughts about all the possibilities, with this very wonderful woman, and I think it's very possible for you to create together the kind of fantasy you are dreaming about, but only if you can finally speak to her openly and she shares this fantasy. 

I expect that you also realize that a real relationship actually takes work. Honesty, open communication, willingness to compromise. And intimate relationships mean that we must open ourselves to the possibility of heartbreak, of course. I suspect that these factors are part of why you have been hesitating to push past the anxiety of trying again. Really starting a relationship would be more work and more intimacy than you are currently called upon to provide in the current version of your relationship.

A comfortable friendship is certainly desirable in and of itself, of course, and risking its destruction to gain the possibility of making that powerful fantasy real is indeed a challenge that you may not yet be ready to meet. For the moment, it seems that fear is winning the race. I suspect that you may find it useful to consider the depth and breadth of your friendship, the likelihood that she already knows how you feel and may be hesitating to say anything out of the same fear, and the fact that you have already tried once before and not destroyed the friendship.

I hope that you are able to find your way to the answer to your question, after considering that it's never too late to try. After all, no one is getting any younger. Time spent in ambivalence only delays resolution. 

Wishing you the best,

Counselor Troi

 


	2. Not Trilled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Seema.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I am in love with the most stubborn man! We went all the way to Risa, and instead of spending time with me he had to go join some political protest that nearly ruined the vacations of everyone on the planet! I honestly don't know what to do -- he's loyal, honest, and he'll fight to the death to defend me, but I just can't get him to relax! Everything would be perfect if he would JUST RELAX and have fun once in a while! What I wouldn't give to just spend time relaxing with my boyfriend! But nooooo, he has to find a cause, a mission, anything to avoid sitting on a beach._

_Do you think he has ADHD or something? I honestly don't know what to do. And he doesn't dance!_

_Not Trilled By This_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Trilled,

I'm so sorry.

This is Worf we're talking about isn't it?

So, so sorry. I can't even begin to -- 

Look. You know him, obviously. He's simply... Worf.

Good luck.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi

 


	3. Overwhelmed on the Moor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one for Seema.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I've just had the strangest thing happen to me. I inherited a cottage on Caldos from my grandmother, and while I was there a man showed up and told me that he was my late Nana's lover. Within just a few sentences and -- I can't even begin to describe the experience when I lit the candle -- I found myself head over heels. It's indescribable, how good it feels._

_But I just can't quit thinking that it's all too good to be true. I have a successful career in Starfleet and I'm thinking about giving it all up for a man no one seems to know anything about. Every time I try to talk to him, it happens all over again and I can't resist him!_

_Do you think there's such a thing as love at first sight?_

_Overwhelmed on the Moor_

* * *

 

 

Dear Overwhelmed,

Did you say this man is your  _grandmother's_ lover?

This experience appears to have completely overwhelmed rational thought. Perhaps you need to examine more closely the content of that candle -- you may need intensive addictions treatment. I will be forwarding you a list of referrals shortly.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	4. Angry Warrior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It should be obvious by this one that this was All Seema's Fault....

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I've tried to consult my spirit guide with no luck, so I hope you can help me sort this one out._

_To make a long story short, my Starfleet vessel is stuck far from the Federation, and we've been trying to find a way to get our ship home faster. It's going to take a lifetime the way things are going. While experimenting with transwarp our helmsman experienced some disturbing aftereffects that led to his kidnapping our captain, exceeding warp 10 and having three salamander babies with her._

_(Sorry, that sounds totally ludicrous but I swear that's what happened. Starfleet is weird.)_

_Anyway. The real problem... I've been trying not to feel as I do for her. Watching her have kids with this young guy was... difficult. I'm afraid that myself and another officer left the kids where they were, instead of bringing them back to our ship with their parents, ostensibly because that was their home and they seemed fine there. But the captain and the helmsman were de-evolved back to humans (another long story) and so we really had no reason to expect that the children wouldn't also, as they are genetically human._

_I think you can see what I'm getting at here.... I don't know how to feel about this. Stranding children somewhere without parents isn't normally something I would do._

_I'm seeing the wisdom now of not being emotionally involved within the same chain of command but the kids are still out there somewhere, and I don't really even know where to start with this. The captain has gone right back to duty and doesn't even seem to remember them. Watching her be so unaffected has led to questioning whether or not she would even be a good fit for me, and so I'm starting to move on. The helmsman is the same, just forgetting these three kids ever happened._

_I don't know how to even broach the subject with the captain. Or if there is anything that can be done. Turning around and going back for the babies would delay our return to the Alpha Quadrant, but it feels like the right thing to do._

_Any suggestions on how to go about appealing to the captain to rescue this trio of human children who look like amphibians?_

_Angry Warrior_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Angry,

I can certainly understand your feelings about the cavalier way these two abandoned the babies. However -- as someone who is not unfamiliar with sudden changes of being, random shifts of reality and other mayhem that occurs while traveling about the galaxy, the following questions come to mind.

Are you certain that the children were still children? was there some form of time dilation or time travel involved, that these humans in amphibian form might actually have been adult children?

Did the children attempt to communicate with you at all? Perhaps to ask for help, or deny they needed it?

Did the captain and the helmsman really actually remember them enough to know that they would be fine without them, and happier in the setting in which they were left?

Perhaps you should ask your captain.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	5. Tripping on my Heart

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_Maybe you can help me with something. I've heard you're real good with relationship questions. I've been having this... I don't know what to call it. There's this Vulcan woman, she's our first officer. Now, if you told me when we first started out with this rodeo that I would end up having feelings for her, I'd've said you're crazy. But she kinda grew on me over time, and I think she's a little less stiff than she was at the start. I mean, she voluntarily stayed aboard when she was offered other work, back home on Vulcan._

_There was this thing recently, where some terrorist swiped our DNA and created a baby. The way she reacted to Elizabeth was real startlin'. I watched her with that child and it made me realize that she really would be a great mother. I can't quit thinkin' about it now. We lost the baby, and it was obvious she was grieving about it just like I was. And the more time passes, the more I realize I really do feel we would work well together as a couple. And I can't see how to even go there, now she's back to work and it's like it was before, only I want more now._

_I can't talk to her openly about a relationship. I try, she just shoots me down. But I keep feelin' what I feel, and I keep talkin' to her. D'you suppose that there's any hope for an illogical, irrational human like me with an uptight, logical Vulcan who seems to have feelings for me but keeps right on denyin' that they're there? It feels like it's gonna take years. We keep goin' back and forth, she gets distant sometimes, and then it swings right around back to normal again, and I keep thinking it's just gotta go somewhere._

_What do you think?_

_Tripping on my heart_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Tripping,

I do believe that human-nonhuman relationships can work. My own parents were a perfect example. My mother is about as far from Vulcan as you can imagine, but as a Betazoid she was also very different than my human father. But they were very happy together just the same. 

I know that your lady friend has deep cultural beliefs and traditions that on the surface appear to be an impediment. But I see in your letter that you have common ground, in that you are working on a vessel together and both share the loyalty to the mission that keeps you there. I think that letting her continue to negotiate within herself toward acceptance of what is clearly there, an emotional tie to you, would be the most respectful way to move forward. And I think that you already know this, as you are still doing it.

Trust your heart. I think it's telling you the right things, and your head is trying to interfere. Perhaps she can help you meditate and calm the anxiety you obviously feel.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	6. Oldest Known Ensign

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rocky_T instigated this one.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I'm an ensign on a small starship and I think I might be about to lose it here._

_We ended up on the other side of the galaxy after the captain chose to help some species we just met. Which is okay I guess. Starfleet. You expect that we'll be making sacrifices._

_But man, has it been stressful. Our engineer, she started turning off the safety on the holodeck. At times one or more of us goes a little bonkers. There was this entire two months the captain hid in her quarters. I guess it's to be expected, I mean, we're all the way out here with no reinforcements, no promotion opportunities, no counselor..._

_So I guess that brings me to the question._

_I don't suppose there's anything like an ECH - Emergency Counseling Hologram? If there is, can you send it with the next communication from the Argus Array?_

_Just don't tell the EMH... he's a bit touchy about competition._

_Like, I'm really worried about all my friends, and the captain -- well. I don't think I'm ever getting a promotion as long as we're here. Maybe this request will only cement that, maybe some of them will be upset that I'm implying they need counseling, but I really am worried._

_Sincerely,_

_Oldest Known Ensign_

 

* * *

 

Dear Ensign,

I don't believe that there is a plan to develop an ECH, but I will certainly forward the question to Starfleet Medical. I feel for all of you, out there. 

I have a friend here who is working on the communication issue with your vessel and will see if there is a way to begin developing a way to have two-way chats via the array, to facilitate counseling sessions for crises -- it sounds as though there is definitely a need.

Stay in touch. 

Counselor Troi


	7. Hippocrates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for AuroraNova

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I have a hypothetical question and would appreciate your input._

_As a Starfleet officer, I feel that I have an obligation to hold myself to a high moral standard. I have however been stationed in my current post on a space station for a number of years, and out here we run across a variety of people that one would not encounter, living on a Federation world. And so I have made friends with a certain... I suppose I could describe him as a morally ambiguous individual. He's intelligent -- sharp, quick-witted and clever. I have come to enjoy his company and we spend quite a lot of time together. As a former member of a particular intelligence agency, I'm afraid he has a bit of a reputation, although in his current position as a small business owner he appears quite innocuous._

_I am considering the ramifications to my own standing in Starfleet, were I to change the nature of our relationship. Take it to the next level, as they say. In the post-Dominion-War atmosphere in the Federation, I have wondered if the general attitude toward such a change would be better. But I thought it would be helpful to have a second opinion. So I would appreciate your thoughts on this situation._

_Hippocrates_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Hippocrates,

You appear to be worrying that this former spy might have an impact on your career. I don't see anything in your letter that leads me to believe that you think this former spy is still an operative. So I wonder, if the man is not doing anything that would lead to repercussions from Starfleet, why would you be so concerned? People may assume anything, but without evidence of wrongdoing it would be difficult to actually make a case that you are guilty by association.

Would you perhaps be anxious in a more usual fashion, and deflecting? Worrying that you would lose a friend if the relationship failed?

As the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar were both decimated in the war, and you would hardly be concerned about someone in Starfleet Intelligence, I encourage you to engage in more self-reflection and make your choice based in what your heart tells you.

Best regards,

Counselor Troi


	8. Queue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Aussiefan70

Dear Counselor Troi,

Well, I have my reservations about obtaining advice from such... sources. But nothing else has worked. Alas. To be reduced to such drastic measures.

I have a -- well. In simple terms, I suppose I have a crush. The problem is that he has wanted absolutely nothing to do with me. No matter how much I do for him. Ungrateful as he is, I cannot stop thinking about him. And so I'm left without recourse. How can I get the attention of a man who does nothing but tell me to go away? He spends all his time reading, or with his miserable little friends and their simple games. Cards. Shooting things. Playing little games on the holodeck. He could be having such fantastic adventures with me and he simply won't budge.

Last In His Queue

 

* * *

 

 

Dear... Queue.

Have you considered being less condescending? Perhaps the majority of your issue lies in your delivery.

Sincerely,

One of his miserable little friends


	9. Seven of Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for Jamelia116
> 
> The episode referenced is Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy

_Counselor Troi,_

_I am a civilian member of a Starfleet crew, aboard a vessel lost in the Delta Quadrant. I have a peculiar problem._

_There is no medical doctor other than the Emergency Medical Hologram. Lately the Doctor has taken up hobbies -- during a recent malfunction of his program we discovered him on the holodeck, running a simulation in which he was painting a nude model, which was a holographic version of me._

_I do not normally feel embarrassed or self conscious of my body. However, there were others present when we came upon the situation on the holodeck, and I found myself noticing that in the following days, certain crew would look at me with a different demeanor. A male crew member followed me with his eyes as I entered or departed the mess hall, where he had not previously paid attention._

_I find myself ill at ease, when in close proximity to those who were present when we discovered the Doctor's many drawings and the nude model. I am at a loss for how to rectify the situation. I find myself seeking solitude, rather than continuing to tolerate the odd looks. And the Doctor does not show any distress or interest, however I am unsettled in his presence now. He did not ask my permission to use me as his model._

_Is there some method that I might employ to reduce the discomfort of my present situation?_

_Seven of Nine_

* * *

 

Seven of Nine,

I have experienced a similar situation. In my case, the perpetrator apologized profusely to me for borrowing my likeness to use in one of his holodeck simulations. Had he not done so I would have confronted him and informed him of my feelings about the situation, and had he not made amends by deleting the program and apologizing, I might have sought legal counsel.

In your situation, legal recourse would, of course, be difficult. The captain of your vessel and your crew are all that you have in the way of judge and jury. And as the Doctor is a hologram, and the legal status of holograms has not been defined, such an avenue may be unavailable to you regardless of location.

So far as the discomfort -- that sort of reaction takes time to resolve. Eventually, people forget these minor incidents, particularly if you are not reacting to it yourself. 

I hope that you are able to resolve the situation to your satisfaction.

Counselor Troi


	10. Lonely Lady

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for Aussiefan70

_My Dear Counselor,_

_I have a lovely daughter, and she's made quite a name for herself. She's beautiful and quite intelligent._

_Yet she has not found her way to marriage, and I am approaching an age at which grandchildren would be lovely. I wonder at times if I will ever have grandchildren to play with, and I become so lonely..._

_I know she has a wonderful career and she is very happy with it, but I so wish I could see her more often..._

_Lonely Lady_

 

* * *

 

 

Mother,

I am publishing this one in hopes that you finally stop sending messages like this.

Please stop.

I will contact you shortly to talk about a visit.

Love,

Deanna


	11. Skin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn it, Seema!

_I am alone on this world. I have no friends. I was left here long ago -- and each time a ship arrives, it leaves again without me._

_I am bereft._

_People will come and it always ends the same way. Death and anger. Once a hairless man tried to talk me out of being what my creators made me, and I am starting to reconsider my rejection of their words. Perhaps that man was correct. Perhaps there is more to this than I thought, and I could change. Maybe I can make a different choice than continuing to be, as they call me, evil._

_Can you help me? I would like to speak to someone about this. I do not know how to be anything but what I have been._

_Skin_

 

* * *

 

 

Not falling for it, Armus. We put up a warning buoy to keep others from making the same mistake we did. 

Readers, this creature enjoys killing on a whim. Stay clear of Vagra Two.


	12. Sushi Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for Pergola+Wingsproggle

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I have a dear hard working husband and two children. We live on Deep Space Nine. Sometimes I wonder why I married him._

_We went into the marriage without really knowing much about each other's culture, and as I look back at the time we've been together I start to wonder if we've made a mistake. I really put a lot of effort into the relationship. I try to never suggest that we are a mismatch; I really focus on working things out and settling differences, compromising, doing whatever it takes to get back to harmony and taking care of our children._

_I love my husband. I wonder sometimes if he really loves me, though. He spends a lot of time with his friend, the station's doctor, and works a lot of overtime. And it doesn't really bother me that he does, which makes me wonder if I should just move on. He's a great dad, I don't believe that would change even if we divorced. But every time I think about leaving, I realize that I still love him. And then something comes up that annoys me and we bicker. We make up and he apologizes, and then I feel bad for thinking about leaving. So I feel stuck._

_And then there is the food issue. I'm just not sure I could keep it together if we have to sit down to dinner and eat a huge pile of meat and potatoes one more time. The smell just makes my stomach turn._

_Sushi Girl_

 

* * *

Dear Sushi,

The struggle between leave or stay -- so loaded with anxiety and fraught with peril.

You have three choices. Stay and accept the relationship as it is. Stay and work on it together, attempt to resolve the differences. Or you split. I suspect you may have tried #2 and may still be working on it, and frustration is leading you to seek more advice. 

All relationships go through changes and sometimes they go through a stage where, when confronted with a change of circumstances, the relationship has to change along with the circumstance. Periods of ambivalence are a common. Renegotiating and getting back to a place where the relationship is satisfying to both of you again can take time, and it's tough to know when you should have more patience, and when to call it quits.

Because of course, there is no hard and fast rule. There is no standard for when a relationship has passed the point of no return, and should be terminated. That is determined entirely by the people who are in it. If you have decided that you do not wish to continue, I encourage an open conversation with your husband about that. If as you say he has focused his energy and time elsewhere, and pays lip service to your marriage, he may agree with you that the relationship is over. Or you may find that he wishes to work on it with you and starts to focus on your family again.

You could also conclude that you are in a stage of the relationship where it is stable, and both of you have interests that are fulfilling in and of themselves, and that this is okay. Sometimes we are upset about things that can be accepted as they are and moved past. When we are upset with one aspect of a relationship, sometimes those negative feelings carry over and color other aspects as well, and once the difficulty is dealt with you find that things that were annoying go back to being tolerable. Setting aside those annoyances and focusing first on the main problem, the emotional distance that has developed between you, should be the first step. When you have started to resolve that issue, the rest should fall into place.

I hope there is a counselor on the station who can help you start to be open with each other about these issues. 

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	13. Captain No Way

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I am being pressured by my crew to write and ask._

_Do you feel that starship captains should have intimate relationships with persons in their own crew?_

_Captain No Way_

 

* * *

Dear Way,

My feelings are quite irrelevant, really. 

A search of current regulations reveals that no official regulation dictates to any Starfleet officer what he/she can or cannot do in the personal realm. Nor is there anything that bans friendship, or other intimate relationships, with crew on the same vessel.

I can tell you that as a ship's counselor, I was trained by Starfleet to be on the lookout for dereliction of duty -- any relationship dynamic between the captain and anyone else aboard that has a deleterious impact upon ship operations. I was expected to go to the captain, or any other senior officer, and discuss the issue with them, and if it was not resolved to report it. 

I would glean from this that if there is no impact on the ship, the crew, or the mission(s), there was no problem. And so if an intimate relationship exists between a captain and another officer within his/her chain of command, and it does nothing to hamper the operation of said vessel, nothing prevents this captain from continuing to have the relationship.

I can cite multiple instances in Starfleet history where, instead of continuing on a mission as ordered, a starship captain took the entire ship off on some errand to rescue one of his officers, who also happened to be his friend. It is curious to me that the perception of more intimate relationships as dangerous to officers persists in the face of this. Any relationship has potential to be dangerous to duty; it is merely a question of whether or not the captain himself, or herself, feels that he/she is capable of conducting him/herself in an appropriate manner while also engaged in such a relationship.

Whether or not to take that risk is ultimately up to the officers involved. Of course. Because Starfleet has nothing to say about the personal lives of officers.

I hope that this helps clarify the issue. Best wishes to you and your "crew".

Counselor Troi

 


	14. Captain Perturbed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aussiefan70 bringing the plot bunnies.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_Ever since you left us the festivities for Captain Picard Day have gotten out of hand. Commander Riker has started holding a party on the holodeck and inviting the entire crew to come participate and vote on the children's projects. And not only that, he has instituted a contest for the adults -- the entire painting class is requesting that I pose for them in the nude!_

_I request arbitration. You started this infernal holiday, you should come assist me in negotiating a cease fire. I am at an impasse -- if I demand that all of this should cease, I have Dr. Crusher calling me a 'party pooper', if I let it continue there will be small effigies of me in every quarters aboard the ship, and they will of course expect me to choose the first prize winner._

_Captain Perturbed_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Captain,

Enclosed please find my entry for the Captain Picard Day contest. I regret not being able to be present, I have a book tour starting tomorrow and failed to account for this most auspicious holiday in my schedule, a failing that I will rectify for next year.

Happy Birthday!

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	15. Counselor Cranky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another bunny courtesy of Pergola+Wingsproggle

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I want to say, before I get to my problem, that I've read all your papers and I want to thank you for contributing to the field of counseling -- your work has been most helpful to me here at Deep Space Nine!_

_With that out of the way... I have a bone to pick with you._

_So a couple weeks ago, my boyfriend broke up with me. Next thing I know he's moving in with -- well. There's this Cardassian on the station who's always been shifty, and they were good friends before I got here -- I mean, before Ezri got here, Dax was here all along, only it was Jadzia -- never mind._

_ANYway, now Julian's attached at the hip and practically pushing Garak into closets -- I don't even know what to make of it! He was never that passionate about me! And THEN, I heard them talking in the replimat -- they really are into each other, just sitting their gazing into each other's eyes and not even noticing me let alone asking me to sit with them! -- and Julian tells Garak that they owe it all to YOU, because Julian wrote to you and something you said made him realize that it was just silly anxiety keeping them apart._

_AND THEN -- I had to go back to my office and process this news, and not ten minutes later the O'Briens show up for couples counseling! Because Keiko wrote to you and asked for advice, and now they want to bring their bickering to me twice a week until they figure out what to do about their marriage!_

_OH, I know. You're going to say that it was all suggestions, and they made their own decisions. BUT STILL._

_So do you have any referrals for me, to a counselor who can help me work through my boyfriend leaving me for a Cardassian, and all my embarrassment about me not seeing that was going to happen, and then to help me keep my sanity trying to manage the Bickering O'Briens?_

_Counselor Cranky_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Counselor Cranky,

I am attaching a list of very good psychologists who operate via subspace and have years of experience in helping counselors deal with their issues.

Thank you -- I don't often get to hear the outcome of my suggestions. I am glad that the O'Briens are working on things. And good for you, no longer having a boyfriend who's carrying a torch for someone else.... I know a certain commander you might like to meet, by the way. How do you feel about trombone music?

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	16. Happy Warrior

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I wanted to thank you for your help so far. When I wrote to you about the situation with the mutated children of my captain, I had no idea she was also writing to you about relationships._

_I set an appointment to talk to her about the children, and we came to a conclusion about that, and then she reminded me of a conversation we'd had long ago about relationships._

_Well, now I have to ask another question. When do you think we should tell the crew about us?_

_Happy Warrior_

 

* * *

 

Dear Happy,

Congratulations!

I don't believe you will have to tell your crew anything. I remember well how it was on a starship crewed with 1000+ people, I imagine the news will travel even faster on a smaller one.

Good luck,

Counselor Troi


	17. Lonely in the Alpha Quadrant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By request from a number of folks.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I was engaged long ago to a woman that I loved. We went our separate ways, and later worked together for a few years and became friends once more. I wish that I were able to find a way to undo what I did, but of course, time travel is out of the question..._

_She is beautiful. Her dark eyes haunt my dreams. I think about all the missed opportunities and the time I wasted pursuing others and wonder why I was so foolish. She was always so patient and understanding, and of course I was too young to understand how rare that is._

_I miss her more than ever. I wish that I could convey how I feel, but words fail me. Each time I see her I start to say something, but it's as though she reads my mind and interrupts, changes the subject._

_How can I win her heart again?_

_Lonely in the Alpha Quadrant_

 

* * *

 

Dear Lonely,

I'm afraid there is no easy solution for unrequited love. Sometimes we don't get second chances. If she consistently changes the subject instead of allowing the conversation to even start, you may have to settle for the answer implicit in her behavior.

I suspect that she will find writing to advice columnists in a not-so-veiled attempt to get her attention somewhat annoying as well. Perhaps you would be better off playing the blues and moving on. 

Counselor Troi


	18. God's Gift to Cardassia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the latest suggestions, from EvilReceptionistofDoom

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

  
_I'm handsome, charming, wonderfully successful, etc. but I find that people mysteriously don't like me, all because I was supposedly a "fascist" and "killed" a bunch of Bajoran "civilians" etc. The woman I love won't give me the time of day (yes she is the daughter of my former lover but whatever) and even my own daughter won't live at home with me. Why doesn't everyone love me the way I deserve? Also my best friend keeps insisting I'm evil and he hates me, but I KNOW that he is actually definitely my best friend, I just know it._

  
_-God's Gift to Cardassia and Also Bajor_

 

* * *

 

Dear "Gift", 

 

I believe that the answer to your question is contained within your letter -- I suspect that everyone you mention does in fact "love you" the way you "deserve." 

I find that people often develop an idea of such things as love that differs in some way, at times significantly, from the generally-accepted definition of the concept. If your version of love does not yield the result you desire, it would only be pragmatic to examine it based on the results, and to change it. 

If your best friend is really a friend -- perhaps you should take his feedback under advisement. I wonder what he means, when he calls you evil?

The only being in the universe you can change is yourself. No war, no torture, no coercion, can force anyone to love another being. The only thing that fosters love is love itself. 

Wishing you all the "best,"

Counselor Troi


	19. Looking for Oo-Mox In All The Wrong Places

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another suggestion from EvilReceptionistofDoom

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

  
_I run a bar on a space station and I constantly see folks hooking up, but everyone I crush on ends up with somebody else. Even my idiot brother ended up married to a super hot babe, but I couldn't even score a grouchy puddle of ooze, and my wife left me after like one day of marriage. I know my crazy profits should be enough, but latinum, it seems, can't actually buy love. This sucks. Help._

  
_Looking for Oo-mox in All the Wrong Places_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Oo-mox,

I hear this often from humanoids all around the galaxy. How do I meet someone?

Most of us meet our partners wherever we are, and if you are unsatisfied with your current environment for other reasons it might be that a change is in order. That may lead you to meeting new people. You may also find that spending time outside your workplace with other people rewarding -- socializing. 

I must admit that 'grouchy puddle of ooze' is perplexing -- if you are a janitor that might explain it. And it leads me to encourage you to find opportunities to socialize with real people for a change, if you are anthropomorphizing such things. 

Best wishes,

Counselor Troi


	20. Not What I Signed Up For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seema and Jam, instigators and plot bunny generators...

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_My wife and I are having another child. Problem is, there was this situation, and it's complicated, but the end result was the baby had to be removed and implanted in another woman, when my wife was injured._

_Now the other woman -- let's call her Kay -- is living with us, and it was my wife's suggestion. And she makes other suggestions. Make dinner for Kay, she tells me. Give her a massage._

_I guess I'm missing something here, but isn't it a little weird, having some other woman pregnant with my baby, and my own wife making me --_ touch _her body?_

_And Kay has this boyfriend! I'm not even sure he understands it either. But it's like we're both clueless about what to do about it. My wife and Kay, they act like there's really nothing wrong. It's just... weird._

_Can you help me out here?_

_Not What I Signed Up For_

 

* * *

 

Dear Signed,

It sounds like a unique situation, and definitely one in which it's justified in not knowing how to feel about any part of it. Frankly I'm surprised that it's still a situation -- the doctors could offer an artificial womb for the baby. 

I encourage you to have an honest conversation with your wife, as awkward as that may be, and explore the options with her and the doctor overseeing her care. Surely there are other options. And take a deep breath - even if the surrogate cannot be relieved of the fetus, it is after all a temporary situation. Establishing some parameters that would make the situation less overwhelming for you and put some boundaries in place may best be done with a counselor, but it can be done.

Wishing you all the best,

Counselor Troi


	21. Lonely Voyager

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The EvilReceptionistofDoom left me a long list to work on.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_  
I'm a sentient machine in search of my creator. I need help with anxiety over what's going to happen, or if I can even find them. What if my creator doesn't love me? What if they sent me away for a reason? I kind of want to merge with them - is that weird?  
-Lonely Voyager

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Voyager,

Just follow your sensors.

And if you can't find your creator -- it's a big universe full of many life forms, sentient and otherwise, artificial and not, and I would suppose that you will not be alone forever regardless. 

Remember that healthy relationships are mutually satisfying. "Merging" should only happen if both parties agree to do it.

Wishing you all the best,

Counselor Troi


	22. Very Angry Warrior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one for Seema and Jam

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I fell in love and married a wonderful woman, a true warrior. She was killed by a megalomaniacal tyrant in a temple while praying to conceive our first child. My comrades and I went to battle to ensure her entrance into Stovokor._

_While I still grieved her loss, her symbiont was passed on to another Trill, and I find this new host deficient in every way! She is embarrassing. She stutters and stammers and is nothing at all like my wife. She dishonors the memory of my beloved._

_How might I defend the honor of my deceased soulmate while avoiding the violation of Starfleet regulations?_

_Very Angry Warrior_

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Warrior,

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your wife. 

I can see how very angry you are, and I understand completely that you are upset that this new host does not meet your hopeful expectations of being worthy of your wife's symbiont. 

I believe that honoring your wife's memory might best be served by thinking about how she would handle this situation. Would she want you to defend her honor, or would she want you to do something else? Leave her be, or befriend her, or help her adjust to the transition to a joined trill? 

Wishing you the best,

Counselor Troi


	23. Too Old for This Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't include in my notes who asked for this one but it was probably Seema and Jamelia

_ Dear Counselor Troi, _

_ I came to Deep Space 9 a few months ago, to be a science officer. There’s this doctor here who is young, pretty and sweet as a jumja stick. He also flirts like a teenager. With me. Just me. _

_ You’d think with three hundred plus years of experience in relationships that I would be able to figure this one out, but he’s really really cute about it. So shy and awkwardly hinting. I have a hard time telling him no, or deflecting. Sometimes I flirt back, which I actually regret later, because I don’t want to lead him on. I just know he’s not really my type, and it’s not good to tempt fate. He’s a fellow officer. I can’t really afford to have a fling with him when I suspect he’s looking for something more serious. _

_ So do you have any suggestions for me? _

_ Too Old For This Crush _

 

* * *

  
  


Dear Crush,

I wonder if you actually want to keep your options open with him. If you aren’t telling him you don’t have intimate relationships with co-workers because you are attracted to him and might change your mind about your decision that it wouldn’t work. 

I’m sure that you are also aware that age does not determine level of maturity, and at times the most mature male of any species when under the influence of strong feelings of affection is perfectly capable of acting like a much younger person. Particularly if he is a human. 

Good luck,

Counselor Troi

  
  



	24. Angry Widower

_ Dear Counselor Troi, _

_ I am being assigned to a space station near Bajor. I have mixed feelings about the posting. _

_ First, it’s a station built and used by the Cardassians during the Occupation of Bajor. I have very mixed feelings about this, as you know, there is a substantial history between Starfleet and Cardassia. _

_ Second, I’m to be briefed by an officer who killed my wife. _

_ I suppose I should believe what they tell me, that he was assimilated and not himself. That the Borg take over and you have no real control. But I can’t feel anything but anger. When I think about it, seeing his face on the main viewer, hearing him tell us resistance is futile, I want to punch him. _

_ Of course I won’t. But I don’t want anything to do with him. _

_ Is this irrational? Is it justified? I just don’t know. _

_ Angry Widower _

 

* * *

  
  


Dear Angry,

I can see how much pain and loss you’ve been struggling with, and I believe you are experiencing post-traumatic stress. The events at Wolf 359 were horrible. I struggled with my own trauma following the event. 

It does not appear that you took advantage of any counseling after Wolf. I hope that you find a way to take advantage of a Starfleet counselor, to resolve the symptoms you are experiencing. It sounds as though you still have flashbacks to the loss of your vessel and your wife. If you were not, you would be able to see Captain Picard as another victim of the Borg. Trauma often distorts our ability to be rational, due to the nature of it -- literally it causes the brain to re-enact the event over and over, flooding your system with neurochemistry that was originally very effective in keeping humans alive, but sometimes it becomes an impediment to us now. A counselor will be able to coach you in skills to cope with and defeat this cycle of pain.

I hope that you find a way to finish grieving your loss and move on to better things for you. Trauma does not have to hold you captive.

 

Best Regards,

Counselor Troi

  
  



	25. Confused and Afraid

_ Dear Counselor Troi, _

_ When we moved here from the  Enterprise I thought it would be great - we would be able to spend more time together, and no more midnight red alerts on an ongoing frequent basis! Ships get into so much trouble. You know how it is, I know… _

_ Anyway, now that we are here at Deep Space Nine, I have a job teaching the kids on the station, and everything’s been great. Except my husband, as wonderful as he is, has made a new friend, our chief medical officer. He spends a ton of time with him off duty. They do all kinds of things together.  _

_ He never asks ME if I want to go kayaking, or visit the Alamo, or any of the fun things they do in the holosuite! I’m really beginning to wonder if that’s all they’re doing!  _

_ I really want to ask him but I really don’t. I don’t want to be one of those hysterical, suspicious wives, but at the same time -- he’s supposed to spend time with me and our daughter. That’s what we talked about before we got here. I’ve heard this kind of thing can be a sign that a relationship is in trouble -- what do you think? Am I being paranoid? _

 

_ Confused and Afraid _

 

* * *

  
  
  


Dear Afraid,

I know that you likely have already thought of it, and you are afraid to do it, but asking him directly will resolve a lot of your fear. Another thought -- perhaps it would be illuminating to spend time with both of them, and observe for yourself whether you have anything to worry about. 

I don’t believe you could be interpreted as hysterical if you ask the question in a calm, rational manner. In fact, the question could be phrased in a way that does not even mention the doctor.

Best Wishes,

 

Counselor Troi

  
  



	26. Son of None

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Pergola-Wingsproggle.

 

_ Dear Counselor Troi, _

_ I was a POW and I thought I just had PTSD but then it turned out that I had the essence of a dead guy implanted in me or something, not really clear on what or how, but basically I'm both a human from Lake Sammamish, Washington, and a fanatical Klingon warlord. I murdered one of my colleagues and now everyone kind of hates me, including my girlfriend, even though it totally wasn't me! Except it kind of was me? So my girlfriend broke up with me? And people are still mad even though the guy I killed is sort of resurrected... I don't know what to do. _

_ -Son of None _

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Son of None,

This sounds like a most confusing and anxiety-provoking situation. Unique, mind-bending and possibly involving torture, advanced medical procedures that were likely illegal, possibly time travel or some sort of anomalous occurence. Which makes it perfectly normal, for a Starfleet officer…

I am sure the people of whom you speak are just as confused as you -- I am assuming they are also Starfleet officers. It’s difficult without more context to give advice in such a situation. I assume you have considered surgery, perhaps that is not possible. I wonder if there is anything that could be done with a transporter? We have had some experiences with that sort of thing ourselves….

Other than surgical efforts or transporters, perhaps time will help -- working through identity issues can be challenging but I hope that you have access to psychology staff to support you through this difficult time.

Best wishes,

Counselor Troi


	27. Clean Ferengi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this was one of Seema's requests. My apologies if it was not - request fulfilled tho. :)

_ Dear Counselor Troi, _

 

_ I have a good friend who recently became my roommate. I really like the guy. He’s not bad for a hew-mon, we get along great most of the time. _

_ However -- he’s the sloppiest guy I’ve ever met! He leaves his stuff EVERYWHERE! I tried to ask him to pick it up but he just shrugs and goes back to whatever he’s doing. Usually he’s reading, or writing. He says it takes a lot of focus. When he was living with his dad his room was a lot neater than this. Now it’s like he just doesn’t care. _

_ Well, I’m tired of it. If asking doesn’t work what else can I do? I don’t have a lot of experience with hew-mon customs. Is there some ritual or something that I need to perform? I figured out bribery doesn’t work either. Why are hew-mons so lazy? _

 

_ Clean Ferengi _

 

* * *

  
  


Dear Clean,

I’m not so sure this is a cultural difference so much as it is a personal one. It sounds like your friend is very young, and while he lived with his father, there was probably an expectation that he should keep his room clean, or suffer a consequence -- human parents set standards for behavior that when not met by children, they are then given some form of disciplining. Either toys or privileges are taken away, or the child is scolded and coaxed to comply. 

Since you are not his parent this is of course not something you could attempt. If he is subletting the space from you, and he pays you rent, you might levy a cleaning fee. You might suggest that he pay someone else to come in and clean. Or, you might decide to inform him you don’t want to live together any more, and find your own place -- or, one or both of you could move back into whatever spaces each of you lived in before. 

In any case, it sounds like continuing to be assertive with him is the best option. Giving him a deadline to make a change and informing him as to what action you will take if he does not do something about it would be appropriate. Perhaps you can have a third party mediate, if things are too tense.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	28. Data

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the suggestions made by EvilReceptionistOfDoom

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I have a cat named Spot. I do my best to see to her needs. After much research, I feel that I know much about how to feed and groom her, and still I find myself wondering about something that none of the articles or books seem to include._

_Do cats have emotions as people do? While it is said that purring is an expression of contentment or satisfaction, it is not clear to me that this is so. It seems subjective to ascribe a particular emotion to a noise that an animal makes._

_Data_

 

* * *

 

Dear Data,

As an empath I can tell you that animals do have emotions. Perhaps not always as intense or as complex as sentient life forms, but Spot, like all cats, feels all the same basic emotions as any mammal. She feels pleasure when touched gently or scratched under the chin or on her head. She is less pleased by rough handling and generally, animals express this by fleeing, or by lashing out. Biting, scratching or struggling to get free. I would recommend observing her behavior to determine how satisfied or dissatisfied she is by some change in her environment. Particularly when introducing a new caregiver to her. Some animals, if not socialized when young, do not fare well with strangers.

Warm regards,

Counselor Troi


	29. Distraught in the Delta Quadrant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EvilReceptionistOfDoom again - some of them write themselves.

 

_ Dear Counselor Troi, _

 

_ I’m in love with a petaq who can’t stop obsessing about holodeck programs. He spends all his time in a simulation fixing a car. A four-wheeled, antique vehicle. He FIXES a holographic car. He doesn’t drive it. He doesn’t use it. He fixes it.  _

_ We have a starship full of things to fix. I am in engineering fixing things all day! We have no lack of fixing to do and of real problems, in reality. He is on a holodeck. Fixing. A. FAKE. car. _

_ Is this some kind of mental disorder I’m dealing with here? He’s fixing a FAKE CAR. He could program one that actually works, and drive it across all the moons of Andor, and Risa, and go on a world tour of Earth.  _

_ I’m really worried. Help? _

 

_ Distraught in the Delta Quadrant _

 

* * *

  
  


Dear Distraught,

 

I know that it’s strange to you that he’s doing this, but sometimes humanoids under stressful circumstances find ways to distract themselves from a stressful reality using reassuring simple tasks. Playing games, taking a class, reading a book, things that keep their mind off the things that are out of their control. Working on holographic problems may be a way of relaxing.

He may also be dismissive of efforts to redirect his efforts. Perhaps appealing to him for help with your stress would be a better approach than making a demand or questioning his choice.

 

Warm regards,

Counselor Troi


	30. A Whale of a Tale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Readers,
> 
> I thought I was so smart, making a note in a notes app to list all the suggestions made. I was so wrong. I can't find it anywhere! My master list is gone!
> 
> Forgive me for long delays. I have also had lots of holiday stuff, work and other WIPs (including a Big Bang fic that will be posted in March) interfering. I'm trawling comments now to recreate it.
> 
> Sincerely,  
> The Author

 

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I'm new to the 23rd -- or is it 24th? I'm feeling a little misplaced, forgive me, I can't find a calendar -- century. I was in Sausalito taking care of humpback whales when this space cowboy and his elf whisked me away on a ship, stealing the whales to save Earth._

_I don't know why I trusted him! Here I am on Earth, trying to figure out how to do things without money! Or help! He took off to the stars again in some ship, without so much as a 'hey nice knowing you', and everyone else here? Well, it's no picnic being so ignorant of everything. I had to ask how the damned toilets work. How did humans evolve to talking toilets? It's creepy!_

_Do you maybe know of any way I can go home? Cause I'm missing having friends who listen to the same music and understand me, instead of continually interviewing me about the 20th century._

_A Whale of a Tale_

 

* * *

 

Dear Tale (I refuse to call you a whale),

It certainly sounds as though you are entitled to a helping hand from Starfleet, as it could only have been a Starfleet Captain who got you into this mess. I highly recommend going to Starfleet Command and requesting some help.

You can ask for the Department of Incidentally Re-homed Entities During Federation-Saving Missions (DIREDFSM). If it does not exist yet in your century, doing so should create it.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi

 

PS - If this is being monitored by Temporal Investigations... please note that per the contract with Mr. Lucsley and Mr. Dulmer, I am allowed to recommend one predestination paradox per year.


	31. Engineering Everything But Romance

 

 

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I'm an engineer in Starfleet and of course I have a lot of friends. I've been really busy and of course there's a lot to do on a starship. But I also would like to have a family some day, and I'm not having a lot of luck with that. Everyone is either not wanting to go that way, not wanting to do it with me, or already spoken for._

_Maybe I'm just missing something?_

_I kind of liked a peer, whom I met in this roundabout way... a hologram of her was used as an interface for a program designed to help me troubleshoot a problem with the engines. And when I finally met the real her, I was so excited -- only she turned out to be married. I didn't even think to check before she came aboard! I'm always so positive, so invested, and then the other person just... goes. Or can't even go there at all._

_Are all people this way? What am I doing wrong? I keep stumbling along and the other person keeps turning out to be not "the one" -- how can I find someone who will stay? And how can I tell before I fall on my face one more time?_

 

_Engineering Everything But Romance_

 

* * *

 

Dear Engineer,

It's a challenge, I know, to feel this way. It seems like a failure to never quite get to a place with someone that the relationship becomes committed.

Perhaps a change of mindset is in order. Maybe success and failure are the wrong terms. Maybe, a relationship is more organic, something that two (or more) people create together. And the relationship needs the same sorts of things that any child needs to grow -- some sort of structure, and nurturing, and your frequent, ongoing attention.

I think that when you find a person who shows signs of providing those things, you will find what you are looking for.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	32. Trombone Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little bit unusual for this series, as it's a followup to Counselor Cranky and Lonely in the Alpha Quadrant, not quite standalone.

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I'm getting messages from some very anxious woman stationed on Deep Space 9. She seems to be flirting with me._

_She keeps asking me if I can send her some of my trombone music._

_In one of the messages she dropped your name. Can you tell me anything about this?_

_Trombone Trouble_

 

* * *

 

Dear Trombone,

I'm not sure why you are contacting me about this. Perhaps you should respond to her and ask -- even drop in and talk to her about it?

You never know until you ask.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	33. Three Lost Children

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Threshold Day, Voyagers!

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_We three siblings have lived peacefully here in our hole, on the banks of our peaceful pond, all our lives with our parents. Until two giants in red and yellow with bright lights appeared and shot our parents! We hid in the water, and when we came out, our parents were gone!_

_We are so frightened being here alone! We don't know where Mother and Father have gone! We are the only ones we have ever seen of our kind, and they haven't come home! We have no one left to turn to._

_It took us so much time to find a way to send a message out, and no one we have contacted knows where our parents are. Some have recognized our description of the giants and suggested that we find a way to communicate with something called 'star fleet'. Do you know how to find it? Or what it is?_

_Three Lost Children_

 

* * *

 

Dear Children,

I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened to you!

Starfleet is a group of people who belong to a Federation composed of many worlds. It sounds like you were on a planet that some of those Starfleet officers visited. I do not understand why they took your parents, it sounds like a misunderstanding, because the Starfleet officers I know swore an oath not to interfere on other worlds.

I have forwarded your letter to Starfleet. I hope that they have an answer for you soon. It sounds very lonely, for you.

Warmly,

Counselor Troi


	34. Agnes in Agony

_Dear Counselor Troi,_

_I'm in sort of a situation, and I was hoping you could help me. You see... I was at Daystrom working, when Admiral Picard showed up. And then another admiral... or was she a commandant? It's a little fuzzy now. I think her name was 'Oh' but what kind of name is that anyway? Especially for a Vulcan._

_There was this mind meld, and then there was a BIG headache. I mean, who knew you could get hung over from a mind meld? And then the nightmares started, and my stomach was in knots. We found Bruce and --_

_You see, when you have a lot of horrible images in your head, and it feels real... it feels overwhelming and real, and like the sort of thing you really need to avoid. And I think the Vulcan told me to kill him. Bruce, I mean. Except it felt like it was me, but now I'm second guessing myself. Because I really hate myself now._

_We're on this world where the androids live, and now there is this guy, who was apparently Bruce's partner after I stopped working with him. Soong -- he says he is the son of the original Soong, who created Data and Lore? He wants me to help him. He's old, and he says he needs me to figure out how to transfer him into this golem, an android body that's sort of a template for another artificial life form. Part of me wants to help him. Part of me thinks I need to stick to the original retribution-for-the-synths plan, and do to him what I did to Bruce._

_I'm just not sure what to do. Soong seems nice. The androids seem nice. Weirdly innocent but nice. But I'm wondering about my own judgment. After Bruce, and after the mind meld, and not running like crazy when I showed up at that chateau where the Romulan ninjas were shooting at Admiral Picard, I really have trouble figuring myself out. Why did I not just go home and go back to work? This is what I mean when I say I feel like the mind meld had more to it than I thought._

_Do Vulcans control people with mind melds?_

_Agnes in Agony_

 

* * *

 

Dear Agnes,

While I am not at all clear on what is going on presently in your life... I can tell you that as a general policy, it is my recommendation to stay well clear of anyone named Soong. Without exception. Other than one happy end result that was Data, and a copy of a woman whom the original Soong loved, I have good reason to suspect that whatever is going on there won't end well. Please don't help him.

As for the rest, I am attaching a list of good psychologists -- I hope you can find one of them to help you sort out the rest of this.

Best wishes,

Counselor Troi


End file.
